5th Annual 4th of July Parade in Folsom

Each year I have done a 1 or 2 All Mule 4th of July Parade.
This year my second rider was not here to accompany me.
Badger is in ill health.
I had to work late in the day.

So I considered 'canceling' the Event.

Then I thought, what better way to Honor Badger's absence by riding his little half sister?

What better way to Honor Cheyanne's memory [I lost her this April due to age related illness] than to ride her daughter?


For this, Sunshine had to earn the right to wear the sequin laced blanket. So for this 4th of July single mule parade, we went with just a bell necklace and a Flag Bow on her tail.

To earn the right to wear the sequin blanket, the mule must be calm, relaxed, and show that he/she can ride down the back country road with bravery and 'mule wisdom'.

Along our route we encountered one truck with a neighbor in it, he waved. I waved back.
Good girl Sunshine.

We encountered two dogs. Sunshine simply eyed them carefully.
We met two of the new neighbors. The wife came out on the road and walked up to Sunshine and began to rub her face.

This is Mule Wisdom, and friendliness.
At one point Sunshine spotted a 'mule eating pile of dead grass and dirt' in the ditch. Despite her knowledge that this could eat her alive, she blew air at it and approached it carefully to investigate.
She decided that it was no danger to herself nor to her rider.

I call that Mule Bravery and Smarts.

We ended our parade by sitting near the edge of the forest and watching a doe and her fawn cross the field to our east.

She is a little mule with a big heart. She has the smarts from her Daddy and some of Mom's attitude.
She did her job today with all that it required of an excellent mount.

She earned the right to carry the sequined American Flag blanket in her next Parade.


The little red mule that could...